Healthcare is becoming increasingly dependent on electronic health records, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, interoperability, digital health platforms, and clinical decision-support systems.
That makes health informatics one of the more interesting graduate fields for professionals who want to combine healthcare knowledge with technology and data.
The cost of earning a master's degree, however, can vary dramatically.
Students researching Health Informatics Masters Scholarships Online should therefore look beyond the university's advertised tuition and investigate scholarships, employer tuition benefits, transfer credits, professional-association awards, federal financial aid, and specialized tuition discounts.
The smartest comparison is:
Total tuition + mandatory fees − scholarships − employer assistance − other grants = estimated net degree cost
Below are several real online master's programs and scholarship opportunities worth comparing for 2026–2027.
University of Illinois Chicago Online MS in Health Informatics
Program Cost and Structure
The University of Illinois Chicago offers a 100% online Master of Science in Health Informatics.
For the upcoming January 2027 cohort, UIC currently lists:
- 38 credit hours
- Approximately 30 months to completion
- $750 tuition per credit
- January 11, 2027 class start
- November 1, 2026 application deadline
The curriculum includes health data science, predictive analytics, healthcare project management, information architecture, digital health, leadership and healthcare communications.
Using the current published rate:
38 credits × $750 = $28,500 in base tuition
UIC also charges an additional $21 per credit for library and technology fees, bringing the estimated tuition-and-listed-fee cost slightly higher.
This is an important example of why students should never compare programs using tuition alone.
Financial Aid at UIC
UIC explicitly states that students in its online Health Informatics program may use financial aid and recommends completing the FAFSA as the first step. Its federal school code is 001776.
The program also uses a pay-by-the-course model, which can make budgeting easier for working professionals.
One limitation is worth knowing: these online Health Informatics programs are classified as Full Cost Recovery programs, so University of Illinois employee tuition waivers do not apply.
Accreditation
UIC identifies CAHIIM accreditation as one of the characteristics of its online MS in Health Informatics program.
Best for: Students wanting a specialized, fully online health-informatics master's with a strong data-science component.
Published base tuition: Approximately $28,500.
Financial aid: FAFSA-based aid available to eligible students.
University of Cincinnati Online Master of Health Informatics
CAHIIM-Accredited Online MHI
The University of Cincinnati offers a 33-credit online Master of Health Informatics that can be completed in approximately 24 months.
The curriculum combines:
- Healthcare
- Information technology
- Data analytics
- Leadership
UC's program is CAHIIM accredited, and the CAHIIM directory currently lists it as an active online master's program with its next review cycle scheduled for 2029–2030.
2026–2027 Tuition
UC currently publishes the following online MHI costs:
Ohio resident, part time: $754 per credit
Nonresident, part time: $769 per credit
Full-time semester costs are currently listed at approximately:
$7,526 for residents
$7,676 for nonresidents.
At 33 credits, a simple part-time calculation produces approximately:
Resident:
33 × $754 = $24,882
Nonresident:
33 × $769 = $25,377
Actual costs can vary by enrollment pattern and future tuition adjustments.
Transfer Credits Can Lower the Cost
UC allows students to request up to six graduate transfer credits, subject to detailed equivalency and approval requirements. Eligible external graduate courses generally must have been completed within the previous five years with an A or B.
At the current resident rate, six accepted credits could represent roughly:
6 × $754 = $4,524
in avoided tuition.
That can be financially more valuable than many small scholarships.
UC Online Business Partnership Scholarships
UC Online also operates a Business Partnership program through which participating employers can provide education benefits to eligible employees. UC specifically describes its Business Partner Scholarship as a way participating employees can reduce the financial barrier to returning to school.
Applicants should check whether their healthcare employer participates before enrolling.
Potentially relevant organizations can include:
- Hospitals
- Health systems
- Insurance companies
- Pharmacy companies
- Healthcare technology employers
- Large corporate partners
Eligibility and award amounts should be verified directly with UC.
International Students
The online MHI can be completed from outside the United States. UC currently states that international distance-learning students do not receive a U.S. student visa simply by enrolling online.
Best for: Students wanting a comparatively affordable, CAHIIM-accredited online MHI with the possibility of transfer-credit savings.
Estimated base tuition: Roughly $24,882–$25,377 at current part-time rates.
Dakota State University Online MS in Health Informatics and Information Management
One of the More Affordable Options to Compare
Dakota State University currently offers a fully online Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management requiring 33 credits.
DSU lists an estimated tuition cost of approximately $3,365.10 per semester, and students can complete the program in as few as six semesters or study part time.
The program accepts students during:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
and requires no GRE under its current admissions requirements.
Health Informatics and Cybersecurity Combination
One reason DSU can be worth considering is its technology orientation.
The curriculum focuses on areas including:
- Electronic health information
- Data analytics
- Health information systems
- Information governance
- Patient-data privacy
- Healthcare technology management
DSU also identifies itself as a HIMSS Approved Education Partner, and students receive HIMSS membership through the institutional affiliation.
That membership may become particularly useful when applying for HIMSS-affiliated scholarships and building a healthcare technology network.
Accreditation Status Needs Careful Reading
DSU's existing master's accreditation in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2027–2028. The university also states that the master's program is currently in candidacy as it transitions toward Health Informatics accreditation.
That distinction is important.
Applicants should verify the current CAHIIM status for the exact program and concentration before enrollment rather than relying simply on the word “accredited.”
Best for: Cost-conscious students interested in the intersection of healthcare IT, analytics, information governance and cybersecurity.
University of Minnesota Online Master of Health Informatics
CAHIIM Accreditation Through 2030
The University of Minnesota offers its Master of Health Informatics with a fully online pathway and no required on-campus component listed by UMN Online.
The Institute for Health Informatics states that its master's program's CAHIIM accreditation has been reaffirmed through 2030.
The current MHI curriculum includes 31 credits and covers topics such as:
- Health informatics
- Healthcare databases
- Clinical informatics
- Patient safety
- Healthcare analytics
- Data science
- Population health informatics
- Biostatistics
- Capstone research
International Applicant Deadline
UMN currently encourages international applicants to use the fall admission cycle.
The published deadlines are:
International fall applications: February 15
Domestic fall applications: June 15
Domestic spring applications: October 15
The program currently does not accept international applicants for the spring cycle.
This matters for scholarship planning because international students often need considerably more time to arrange funding and academic documentation.
Best for: Students prioritizing a long-established, CAHIIM-accredited informatics program and a strong analytics curriculum.
Arizona State University Online Health Informatics Master's
30-Credit Online Program
Arizona State University offers an online Master of Advanced Study in Health Informatics.
The program currently consists of:
- 10 classes
- 30 credit hours
- 7.5-week classes
The next published start date is January 11, 2027.
The curriculum covers areas such as:
- Data analysis
- Data modeling
- Health communication
- Leadership
- Data science
- Mobile health
- Health information technology
Scholarships and Financial Aid
ASU provides a dedicated scholarship search system and states that financial aid can significantly reduce students' out-of-pocket tuition. It recommends using its tuition calculator because the final price depends on factors including course load and individual financial aid.
For scholarship hunters, this means the correct process is:
- Calculate the program's estimated tuition.
- Search ASU's graduate scholarship database.
- Complete financial-aid applications.
- Check employer education benefits.
- Compare the resulting net price against other universities.
Best for: Professionals particularly interested in digital health, clinical data and technology-focused health informatics.
Real External Health Informatics Scholarships
University financial aid is only one funding source.
Professional organizations can sometimes provide much more targeted scholarships for health-informatics students.
HIMSS New England $5,000 Innovation Scholarship
2027 Scholarship Opportunity
One especially current opportunity is the New England HIMSS Wolf & Company Innovation Scholarship.
The award is:
$5,000
plus complimentary registration for the 2027 New England HIMSS Annual Spring Conference.
The application period opens August 31, 2026 and runs through late October 2026.
That makes it particularly relevant to students entering a master's program in late 2026 or early 2027.
Eligible majors specifically include:
- Health Informatics
- Bioinformatics
- Health Information Management
- Healthcare Administration with an informatics/analytics focus
- Data Analytics with a healthcare focus
- Data Science with a healthcare focus
- Cybersecurity with a healthcare focus
- Health Science with an informatics/technology concentration
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and either live in or attend a qualifying accredited institution in one of the six New England states. A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 is also required.
This is therefore a real $5,000 health-informatics scholarship, but it is geographically restricted.
South Florida HIMSS Health Informatics Scholarship
$5,000 for Degree-Seeking Students
South Florida HIMSS also maintains a scholarship specifically for students studying healthcare informatics and related fields.
The chapter currently lists:
$5,000 for degree-seeking students
and:
$1,000 for certificate-seeking students.
Eligibility includes:
- HIMSS chapter membership
- Attendance at an accredited Florida college or university
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
Applicants must also submit items such as a transcript, proof of registration, recommendation, résumé, personal statement and scholarly essay.
For students already attending an eligible Florida institution online, this is worth investigating because the award is substantially larger than many general graduate scholarships.
HIMSS Foundation Scholarships
HIMSS Foundation is another major source to monitor.
As of August 19, 2026, the Foundation's official scholarship page still describes the previous application as closed and advises applicants to watch for the 2027 scholarship application opening in August 2026.
That means prospective 2027 students should check the official application page regularly rather than relying on old scholarship aggregators.
An important practical lesson is:
Scholarship search pages should be checked every few weeks during late summer and fall.
Many professional scholarships open for relatively short periods.
A Scholarship Source You Should Remove From Old Lists
Many older articles recommend the AHIMA Foundation as a scholarship source.
That information is now outdated.
AHIMA Foundation states that its programmatic work was discontinued effective December 31, 2024.
Therefore, a 2026 article telling students to apply for a new AHIMA Foundation scholarship without explaining this change would be misleading.
This is exactly why students should verify scholarship programs at their original source instead of relying solely on older SEO lists.
Quick Comparison of Online Health Informatics Master's Programs
| University | Online Format | Credits | Current Cost Highlight | Key Funding Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cincinnati | Online | 33 | $754–$769/credit | Employer partnerships + transfer credits |
| UIC | 100% Online | 38 | $750/credit | FAFSA-eligible financial aid |
| Dakota State | Online | 33 | ~$3,365/semester estimate | Lower-cost structure + HIMSS affiliation |
| University of Minnesota | Online option | 31 | Check current personalized tuition | CAHIIM accredited through 2030 |
| Arizona State | Online | 30 | Individual tuition calculator | University scholarships + financial aid |
Tuition and aid can change between admission cycles. Always request a personalized cost estimate before accepting an offer.
Why CAHIIM Accreditation Matters
What Is CAHIIM?
CAHIIM stands for the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.
CAHIIM evaluates health informatics and health information management programs against established education standards and maintains an official directory of accredited programs.
Students can use the directory to filter programs by:
- Degree level
- Program
- State
- Delivery method
That allows applicants to verify accreditation directly rather than trusting an advertisement.
Does Every Health Informatics Master's Need CAHIIM Accreditation?
Not necessarily.
A university can hold legitimate institutional accreditation even when an individual health-informatics program does not have specialized CAHIIM accreditation.
However, students specifically comparing accredited online health informatics master's programs should understand the difference between:
University accreditation
and
programmatic CAHIIM accreditation.
For careers closely connected with health information management and certain professional credentials, specialized accreditation may carry additional value.
Major Federal Financial Aid Change in 2026
Graduate financial aid changed significantly on July 1, 2026.
Federal Student Aid now states that Direct PLUS Loans are no longer generally available to graduate or professional students unless the borrower qualifies under limited transition exceptions.
For many students beginning a new master's degree after that date, that makes scholarships and lower tuition considerably more important.
Federal Student Aid currently states that graduate students who have never been professional students can receive up to:
$20,500 per year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans
with an aggregate graduate limit of:
$100,000.
Students should verify their individual eligibility through FAFSA and the university's financial-aid office rather than assuming that older Grad PLUS financing advice still applies.
Employer Tuition Assistance Can Beat a Small Scholarship
Many people entering Health Informatics already work in healthcare.
That creates a major advantage.
Employers that may provide education funding include:
- Hospital systems
- Health insurers
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Health-tech companies
- Medical device companies
- Government healthcare organizations
- Consulting firms
- EHR vendors
- Managed-care organizations
Before applying for private student loans, ask HR about:
- Tuition reimbursement
- Graduate education assistance
- University partnerships
- Professional-development funding
- Healthcare IT training budgets
UC Online, for example, maintains formal employer partnerships that can produce scholarship benefits for eligible employees.
For a working student, employer benefits can sometimes save more than an external scholarship.
How to Calculate the True Cost of a Health Informatics Master's
Never compare programs only by their advertised tuition rate.
Use:
Credits required × tuition per credit
Then add:
- Technology fees
- University fees
- Books
- Software
- Graduation fees
- Data-analysis tools
- Certification costs
Then subtract:
- Institutional scholarships
- HIMSS scholarships
- Employer reimbursement
- Transfer-credit savings
- Military benefits
- Grants
The result is your net degree cost.
Example
Suppose Program A costs:
$35,000
but provides a:
$5,000 scholarship
Net tuition:
$30,000
Program B costs:
$25,000
with no scholarship.
Program B is still approximately:
$5,000 cheaper
despite providing no scholarship at all.
Therefore, the best search strategy combines:
“Health Informatics Masters Scholarships Online”
with:
“Affordable Online Health Informatics Masters.”
Is a Master's in Health Informatics Worth It?
Career value depends heavily on your previous education, professional experience and the role you pursue.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that health information technologists and medical registrars earned a median annual wage of $67,310 in May 2024, with the highest 10% earning more than $112,130.
Employment in this occupation is projected to grow 15% between 2024 and 2034, much faster than the projected 3% growth for all occupations.
Experienced informatics professionals may also move into healthcare management and technology leadership.
Medical and health services managers had a median annual wage of $117,960 in May 2024, and employment is projected to grow 23% from 2024 through 2034.
Those salaries are occupational statistics, not guaranteed salaries for Health Informatics graduates.
Actual compensation depends on role, location, employer, technical skills and experience.
Health Informatics Careers to Consider
A master's degree can support a variety of career paths.
Clinical Informatics Analyst
Works with clinicians and technology teams to improve healthcare systems and workflows.
Health Data Analyst
Uses clinical and operational information to identify patterns and support healthcare decisions.
EHR Analyst
Supports platforms such as electronic medical record and electronic health record systems.
Healthcare Data Scientist
Combines healthcare knowledge with statistical analysis, programming and predictive analytics.
Health Information Systems Manager
Oversees healthcare technology, implementation and data infrastructure.
Clinical Applications Analyst
Works with clinical software applications used by hospitals and healthcare providers.
Healthcare IT Project Manager
Manages implementation of large healthcare technology projects.
Informatics Consultant
Helps healthcare organizations evaluate and improve systems, workflows, analytics and digital transformation.
Students aiming for higher-paying technical roles should look carefully at how much a program teaches:
- SQL
- Python or R
- Data visualization
- Statistics
- Machine learning
- Healthcare databases
- Cloud systems
- Cybersecurity
- interoperability standards
- EHR platforms
rather than selecting a program based solely on the degree title.
Health Informatics vs. Health Information Management
The fields overlap, but they are not identical.
Health Informatics
Health informatics tends to focus more heavily on:
- Technology
- Analytics
- Healthcare databases
- Data science
- Clinical systems
- Digital transformation
- Decision support
Health Information Management
Health Information Management often focuses more on:
- Medical records
- Information governance
- Privacy
- Compliance
- Coding systems
- Health information operations
Some programs intentionally combine both areas, as Dakota State does with its MS in Health Informatics and Information Management.
Can International Students Earn a Health Informatics Master's Online?
Yes, depending on the university.
For example, the University of Cincinnati states that its online MHI can be completed from abroad, although international students must satisfy additional transcript and English-language requirements.
International applicants should investigate:
- Whether the program accepts students from their country
- International tuition
- English-language requirements
- Credential evaluation
- International payment fees
- Scholarship citizenship restrictions
They should also understand that studying a U.S. degree entirely online normally does not automatically create a U.S. student-visa pathway.
How to Improve Your Chances of Winning a Health Informatics Scholarship
Connect Your Experience to Healthcare Technology
A strong application should explain why your background fits informatics.
Relevant experience can include:
- Nursing
- Medicine
- Pharmacy
- Health administration
- Computer science
- Data analytics
- IT
- Cybersecurity
- Insurance
- Medical records
- Public health
Explain the Problem You Want to Solve
Scholarship applications become stronger when the candidate identifies a real healthcare challenge.
Examples include:
- Improving EHR usability
- Protecting patient information
- Reducing medication errors
- Improving clinical-data interoperability
- Applying analytics to population health
- Preventing healthcare cyberattacks
- Using predictive analytics to improve outcomes
Show Measurable Impact
Instead of writing:
“I am passionate about healthcare technology.”
Explain what you plan to accomplish.
For example:
“My goal is to build analytics systems that identify high-risk patients earlier and allow clinical teams to intervene before preventable hospital readmissions occur.”
That is more specific and professionally relevant.
Questions to Ask Before Enrolling
Is the Program CAHIIM Accredited?
Verify through the official CAHIIM directory.
What Is the Total Cost to Graduate?
Ask for tuition plus all required fees.
What Scholarships Apply Specifically to Online Students?
University-wide scholarships may exclude online or graduate students.
Can I Combine Scholarships With Employer Assistance?
Some universities restrict stacking.
How Many Credits Can Transfer?
UC currently allows up to six qualifying external graduate credits, which can materially lower tuition.
Is the Degree Fully Online?
Confirm whether any orientation, residency, exam or campus visit is required.
What Technical Skills Will I Learn?
Look beyond the program name.
A strong curriculum should match the type of informatics job you actually want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Scholarships for Online Health Informatics Master's Programs?
Yes.
Students can pursue university scholarships, employer tuition assistance and professional scholarships such as awards offered by HIMSS chapters.
For example, New England HIMSS is offering a $5,000 scholarship for its 2026–2027 cycle, with applications scheduled to open August 31, 2026.
Are There Fully Funded Online Health Informatics Master's Programs?
Fully funded professional master's degrees are uncommon.
Students are more likely to build a funding package using:
scholarship + employer assistance + federal aid + personal funds
rather than receiving one scholarship that covers every expense.
Can FAFSA Pay for an Online Health Informatics Master's?
Eligible U.S. students can use FAFSA to determine eligibility for federal student aid at participating universities.
UIC specifically instructs students planning to use financial aid to file the FAFSA.
However, graduate borrowing rules changed beginning July 1, 2026, so students should review current federal limits before enrolling.
What Is a Low-Cost Online Health Informatics Master's?
Among the programs compared here, University of Cincinnati currently publishes particularly competitive pricing at $754 per credit for residents and $769 per credit for nonresidents for its 33-credit MHI.
Dakota State also deserves consideration because it currently lists an estimated semester cost of approximately $3,365.10 for its 33-credit online master's.
Is CAHIIM Accreditation Important?
It can be.
CAHIIM is a specialized accreditor for Health Informatics and Health Information Management education and maintains an official database of accredited programs.
Applicants should verify both the university's institutional accreditation and the specific program's specialized accreditation.
Can I Get a $5,000 Health Informatics Scholarship?
Yes, depending on eligibility.
New England HIMSS currently lists a $5,000 Innovation Scholarship for qualifying students in health informatics and closely related healthcare-technology fields.
South Florida HIMSS also lists a $5,000 award for qualifying degree-seeking students.
Both have geographic and membership requirements.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best Health Informatics Masters Scholarships Online requires more than searching for the university offering the largest award.
Compare the complete financial picture.
UIC currently offers a 38-credit, 100% online MSHI at $750 per credit. University of Cincinnati offers a 33-credit CAHIIM-accredited MHI with current tuition starting at $754 per credit for residents and allows up to six qualifying transfer credits. Dakota State provides another comparatively affordable 33-credit online option, while Minnesota and Arizona State offer additional technology-focused programs worth comparing.
Then investigate outside funding.
A $5,000 HIMSS scholarship, employer tuition reimbursement, or several transferred graduate credits can materially change the final price of the degree.
For students entering graduate school after July 1, 2026, doing this research is even more important because new graduate borrowers can no longer generally rely on Grad PLUS loans except under limited transition rules.
The best strategy is therefore:
Choose an accredited program with the right curriculum → calculate total tuition → subtract every confirmed scholarship and employer benefit → compare the final net price.
That approach is far more useful than choosing a program based simply on the size of an advertised scholarship.
Tuition, scholarship amounts, accreditation status, application deadlines and federal financial-aid rules can change. Verify all financial and admissions information directly with the university, CAHIIM, HIMSS and Federal Student Aid before enrolling.